(L-R) Brian Baker, David Go and Jane Huang
The IDEA Center at the University of Notre Dame has established a Faculty Advisory Board to accelerate collaboration within the University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Professors Brian Baker of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Jane Huang of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and David Go of the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering will serve on the new advisory board, which will meet quarterly.
“This board will help strengthen the connection between the University's commercialization and research enterprises by providing the IDEA Center leadership with a faculty's perspective on how to energize a collaborative and cooperative spirit between the IDEA Center and faculty researchers,” says Go, who has submitted more than 15 provisional patents through the IDEA Center, mentored ESTEEM students and advised McCloskey New Venture Competition teams.
“The end goal, of course, is to encourage more faculty to engage with the IDEA Center,” adds Huang, who hopes to boost awareness and further increase faculty participation.
Steve Asiala, the IDEA Center’s faculty engagement associate who was hired this past fall in collaboration with Notre Dame Research, will work closely with the board to help promote entrepreneurial endeavors amongst faculty.
“The IDEA Center wants to further build out the exciting opportunities that are coming out of the research community at Notre Dame,” Asiala said, adding that the move supports a growth trajectory building for more than a decade at Notre Dame.
Bryan Ritchie, Vice President and Cathy and John Martin Associate Provost for Innovation, says the initiatives will elevate the impact of both faculty and the IDEA Center.
“We are constantly seeking new ways to enrich the entrepreneurial ecosystem of our University and community so that our innovative faculty and students can bring their discoveries and inventions into the marketplace for social and commercial benefit,” Ritchie said.
The IDEA Center, headquartered at Innovation Park, is Notre Dame’s collaborative innovation hub dedicated to expanding the technological and societal impact of the University’s innovations. It provides the necessary space, services, and expertise for idea development, commercialization, business formation, prototyping, entrepreneurial education and student entrepreneurial efforts.